The Twilight Dragon
by DMenace
Summary: After the fall of Beacon, Blake ran while Yang lay in a hospital fighting for her life with injuries she suffered protecting her. Now she's back to care for and comfort Yang in her darkest moments. Doctors don't believe her withered arm can be salvaged, her days as a huntress are over, and her baby sister doesn't need her to protect her anymore... (Sequel to "The Prodigal Stray")
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Tears of a Dragon

* * *

The dark room was eerily quiet except for the shallow labored breaths coming from the blond girl sitting on the edge of the bed. She stared with puffy red, empty-looking eyes down at the photo in her left hand while the other appeared withered and discolored and hung limp in a sling. Her chest rose and fell in irregular intervals, and her orange tank top did little to hide the scar tissue beside her heart and the dark, ugly bruise that traveled from her breasts all the way down to her midriff.

With an unsteady hand she took the corner of the photo in between her teeth and slowly tore off about a fourth. She then gently placed the remaining three-fourths atop one of the piles beside her before removing the smaller strip from her mouth.

A teenage girl wearing all black with a bow in her hair and amber colored eyes smiled up at her while a tanned arm wrapped around her waist and strands of golden hair cascaded atop her shoulder. She stared down at her with a vacant expression before letting go and watching her slowly descend onto the floor which was covered in ripped photos and decapitated heads all depicting the same dark haired girl.

After staring at them for several minutes she retrieved another photo from the larger of the two piles. The same girl was now trying not to smile as she elbowed her in the ribs presumably for giving her bunny ears, but the blonde's devilish grin gave away the possible location of her other hand. They were both wearing huntress attire, and from the blood and sweat clinging to their clothes and the exhausted looks on their faces this seemed to have been taken shortly after a long battle or intense training session. She could almost feel the other girl's aura radiating off the image as their souls intertwined and their bond grew closer and more intimate.

She took the corner of the photo in between her teeth again just as the door across the room creaked open letting in light from the hall.

"Yang?" a soft voice poking their head in whispered. "Are you awake?"

The photo finished tearing and after she spat out the strip from her mouth she placed the remains carefully back on the bed.

Her visitor watched for a moment before lowering her red hood and removing her black coat and boots, never taking her concerned eyes off her. "Sorry it took so long," she said brightly. "I was halfway home when Dad called screaming _'Ruby! I forgot to put milk and eggs on the list!'_. And that happened more than once. Uh, sometimes I really hate having super speed, but I got you a big package of those cinnamon rolls you really like." Her eyes glanced down at the floor in front of the bed. "I see you've been busy..."

When she didn't get a response the caped-girl walked across the room careful not to step on any of the mutilated pictures before sitting down on the left side of her sister. She reached around and snatched one of the photos, this one of the blonde and the dark haired girl wearing gorgeous ball gowns and dancing together while their respective male dance partners stood behind them drinking punch and looking unsure what to do.

"She'll be back, sis..."

Yang took the photo in her hand when it was offered to her, and promptly put it in her mouth and tore it in two. She then placed the half of just herself back on the bed and retrieved another as Ruby scooted closer.

"That's from your birthday, sis. I don't think I've ever see happier..."

She stared at her former self and the immaculate hair she'd woken to that morning that wasn't dull in color and in an easy to manage ponytail like it was now. Her low cut top was being worn to show off, not because it was the only thing she could get in and out of without assistance. And her once tanned skin no longer had a soft glow reminiscent of sunlight.

Her past self wore a pink tiara that read _'Birthday Girl'_ , and she sat at a booth with lavish gift bags and wrapped presents surrounding her, as well as a giant chocolate fudge sundae. One of the boxes had been opened, and she was slipping into a black leather jacket with yellow stripes and cats and bumblebee patches sewed in. A matching jacket was being put on by the girl beside her who had tears in her eyes as she received a hug from her thankful and ecstatic partner.

Yang crumpled the photo in her hand making a white knuckled fist that shook.

"I hate her," she whimpered, swiping away all the photos before burying her face in the younger girl's shoulder. "Why did she have to leave me?"

Ruby embraced her tightly, rubbing circular patterns in the middle of her back. "I-I don't know," she choked, "but I miss her too..."

Yang pulled away suddenly and through blurry eyes glared at her. "She was _my_ partner, Ruby! She was the first person that I shared my _all_ of my aura with! I let her see parts of myself that I don't even let _you_ see, and she threw it all back in my face!"

"Sis-"

"At least _your_ partner stuck around and told you goodbye before leaving!"

Ruby swallowed and set her jaw having expected another outburst like this. "Weiss stayed for as long as she could and longer than she should've. You know that. She practically had to be dragged out of your hospital room by her dad's security team, but you're right, and I'm sorry. She and I hugged for what felt like forever before saying goodbye, a-and every minute I'm not with her hurts. And I can't imagine how she feels being all alone in Atlas right now..." Her voice cracked and tears welled up in her eyes. "She was my first too, sis, and I wish both she and Blake were-."

At the mention of her former partner and best friend's name, Yang's pupils disappeared into crimson and she cried out slamming an elbow into her sister's chest. A reddish glow shimmered around Ruby as her aura faltered and she doubled over slightly, and after taking several deep haggard breaths all the while staring callously at her, Yang's now puffy lilac eyes widened and she threw herself onto her.

"I'm sorry!" she cried. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it I swear!"

"It's okay," Ruby said between her teeth. "It didn't hurt. I knew it was coming..."

Yang let out a miserable wail and fell over onto the bed hiding her tear streaked face. After taking a moment to catch her breath and rub the pain away, Ruby crawled over and began playing with her ponytail when the girl suddenly made a retching sound as though she were drowning.

Rose petals as well as photos flew through the air and a trashcan was suddenly beside Yang who she was lifted up into a sitting position with her head between her knees. Several minutes later when nothing else would come up she began to dry heave violently, and cried out clutching at her chest.

Once her mouth had been cleaned and her irregular breathing finally became shallow again she collapsed lifelessly back onto the bed, her head being guided gently onto a pillow.

Ruby peered inside the trashcan. "You haven't eaten all day, sis," she said quietly, "and you barely ate breakfast yesterday..."

Her sister remained silent, and that was when she noticed the half-empty bottle sitting on the nightstand. Ruby reached over and gave it a quick whiff but withdrew feeling her nose hairs tingle.

She unceremoniously dropped it inside the trashcan and frowned at the barely breathing girl. "Where'd you find the booze?" Yang didn't answer. "You know you're not supposed to drink anymore, sis..."

"Works better than the painkillers, antidepressants, and all the other crap the doctors gave me," she mumbled into the pillow.

"Did you take them at noon like you're supposed to?" Her sister nodded. "Are you lying again?" She shook her head.

Ruby sighed and moved the trashcan away hoping it wasn't needed again seeing how they were laying on her bed, and she had just washed the sheets the day before. She crawled atop and over her sister so they were facing each other, and wrapped her cloak around them. She brushed the damp bangs out of her eyes before holding the good hand she wasn't laying on and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Her eyes reopened and Yang sniffled. "I hate her," she whimpered again, "and I just want her back..."

Ruby nodded and wrapped her arms around her. "I know, sis." She kissed her and flared her aura so that rose petals tickled her stuffy nose. "She'll be back. I promise..."

* * *

Yang sat up and immediately regretted it it as sharp, burning pain stabbed her in the chest once again. She opened her watery eyes and tried to cry out but it was caught on the back of her throat. Finally after what felt like an eternity of being left paralyzed by agony, fear, and emptiness, she wiped her face and propped herself up with an elbow. In the darkness she could just make out a ball of fur curled up at her exposed feet, as well as the silhouette of a person with cat ears atop their head laying on the other side of the bed hogging the blanket. She awkwardly scooted over and planted a kiss on the back of the head which involuntarily flinched.

They mumbled something sleepily and attempted to face her, but Yang simply took back her fair share of the blanket that smelled like rose petals, and pressed up against the warm body that was pretending to still be asleep. She wondered if falling asleep with their auras intertwined had caused them to share dreams again, and if so couldn't help feeling guilty that perhaps the other participant had been on the opposite side of the pushed-together beds for a reason. While pondering the matter she caught herself drifting off several times but caught herself each time wanting to stay awake and enjoy the long awaited moment for just a little while longer.

The ball of fur pawed at her feet for disturbing its rest before collapsing against them again. Yang couldn't help from smiling, and feeling herself drifting off again she flared what little aura she had knowing it wasn't doing her any good in hopes of guiding the next dream. She heard a stifled sniffle beside her, and reached up to dry their cheek and embrace them.

"I missed you..."

* * *

 **(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. "The Prodigal Stray" is a story that has become very near and dear to me, and "The Twilight Dragon" now is no exception.** **This story will explore some of the more mature themes that its predecessor alluded to, but for the moment it'll be keeping its _Teen_ rating.** **As shown in this chapter there will be occasional flashbacks to Yang's suffering prior to "The Prodigal Stray" and Blake's return. Also,** **I** **don't consider this a "Bumblebee" story, merely the story of two best friends who share the same soul also sharing their pain with each other. I hope for this story to be a source of encouragement, and I hope you enjoy.**

 **RWBY as well as the cover image of "The Twilight Dragon", the silhouette of Yang from the Yellow Trailer, belong to Rooster Teeth.**

 **All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and all of you. God bless)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

An Arm and a Leg

* * *

Blake sat up on the doubled up beds with her knees pressed against her chest and a red blanket hugged tightly around her. The cat ears atop her head stood at attention swiveled toward the door of the en-suite bathroom, paying careful attention to the labored breathing on the other side in case it should suddenly cease. She could occasionally overhear familiar dark mutterings that were oddly comforting to her, as well as awkward stomps as Yang washed her face and took her morning pills.

She sunk deeper into the blanket enjoying its pleasant scent, but also the sense of warmth that hadn't been present the night before. She was accustomed to chilly nights having slept on the ground most of her life, and was used to feeling a slight draft in her yukatas, particularly whenever she bent over or curled up in a ball to go to sleep. Despite finally taking to sleeping underneath the covers however, the past few nights had been some of the coldest she had ever endured.

Back at Beacon it had often felt as though she were being lulled to sleep by the sultry sun overhead, but now every night it seemed the warmth was being sucked out her body no matter how warmly and uncomfortably dressed she was. She continued wearing her silky Mistralian nightgowns as revealing as they may be because of how futile the effort was, and in part hoping Yang might smart off about her favorite _asset_ of her's which had always seemed to cheer her up in the past.

The longer the wheezing and gasps for air continued the more tempted Blake was to go check and see if she was alright. With her wild morning hair it would be an easy excuse to say she needed a hairbrush, that yet another had been forever lost in the bedroom, or simply needed to brush her teeth or wash her face. She quickly decided that might not be the best idea however. Yang _hated_ being checked on even when her father or Blake felt it was necessary for her own good and their peace of mind, and wouldn't take kindly to someone hovering nearby during one of the few daily tasks she could do herself. Of course after the fact Blake would check to make sure she had remembered to take _all_ of her morning pills, but trusted Yang enough that she wouldn't flush any down the toilet, again...

With her ears still pointed towards the door in front of her to the left, Blake glanced around the room looking for anything that might occupy her troubled mind. Imagining what she would do if the breathing suddenly stopped wasn't helping her already pessimistic and skittish nature.

Directly to her left out the window with the blinds partially pulled were the Patchwork Mountains rising toward the gray northern skies, making Blake wonder the last time she had seen the sun. She often caught Yang staring toward them, ignoring what was being said and not really seeing what she was looking at. Blake sometimes found herself getting lost as well thinking of the village where Ruby had been raised, and knew the younger girl must've done the same if not even more frequently. It was her bed closest to the scenic view after all, but Blake couldn't imagine it being the final thing she saw and thought of every night before falling asleep...

Straining to look anywhere else Blake finally pried her eyes away but her ears never changed position as she turned her head contemplating whether she should try cleaning today or just stay in bed with Yang. Looking around the room she got the distinct impression of three _very_ different girls sharing the room together, much like their old dorm room only without a fussy Atlesian who got migraines at even the slightest resemblance of clutter and had a sensitive nose that rivaled even her own.

When she first arrived the bedroom had been an unmitigated disaster even by the sisters' standards, with dozens of large suitcases and duffel bags laying half-emptied on the floor along with piles of dirty clothes, school supplies, candy wrappers, empty bottles, _hundreds_ of torn beauty and gossip magazines, and even a few mutilated photos underneath Ruby's bed that Blake thought best not to ask about, or even think about for that matter. Unfortunately the cooler weather had meant cracking the windows would most likely mean freezing to death, but the cat faunus would've almost preferred it to the stench of sweat, alcohol, and most egregiously, _dog_ , which she supposed must not have been potent enough to nauseate humans or occasionally make them vomit in their mouth.

She had practically needed a snow shovel when she first gathered her partner's dirty laundry, a pile of boy shorts and tank tops so mountainous that it had rivaled Patchwork, and was stripping the beds of their new king sized sheets every couple of days. The room's scent was tolerable now, almost pleasant even, especially since her partner started bathing regularly again, and at Blake's insistence lathering herself with soaps, shampoos, and conditioners that had always been her personal favorite. Of course it wasn't always easy talking Yang into showering or crawling into the tub, something that might as well have been a daily ritual bordering on religious experience at Beacon, but generally if she pressed her enough Yang would do it. She'd also paint her nails for her and help shave her legs once a week, which Yang didn't seem to care about one way or the other anymore but was something that helped Blake pretend as though everything was normal and made her feel somewhat less useless. Plus she had snuggled up with cacti less prickly than her partner's unshaven legs.

Of course the bedroom was now arguably a bigger disaster than it'd been nearly a month ago upon her first lenient inspection, but without the offensive odor Blake viewed it as homely albeit just a _bit_ cluttered. Most of her belongings had been taken out of Signal's storage garage and were now either piled up on her side of the bed or in the dresser or closet, which was quickly turning into a death trap waiting to be sprung. Like the sisters she had never finished unpacking either, a habit she attributed to always being on the move and until running away from the White Fang with a small fortune never owning anything more than what she could carry on her back.

Despite Yang and her father's insistence however Blake couldn't bare the thought of moving any of Ruby's belongings to the spare room downstairs. It was already pretty well filled up with the family's non-essentials and keepsakes, and what little room there was left was being used by their father as an office for work. This home belonged to them, at least part of the year, and removing anything of Ruby's just to convenient herself felt almost immoral after all she had done to them. She was just thankful they hadn't rightfully set fire to the few treasured belongings that she had _also_ abandoned...

After the sisters' extended hospital stay their father had taken them here to recover, the remote cabin on the northern side of the island they normally rented during the summer months. Some of their clothes and other belongings had been hauled in from Signal's guest dorm where they lived the rest of the year, but the majority Blake recognized from Beacon having been brought down and safeguarded by squads of Atlesian Knights operated by the SDC. Ruby's for the most part seemed to have been put away or possibly taken with her, but Yang's mostly still lay on the floor only haphazardly put away by her sister and partner who either couldn't find permanent homes for everything or felt it wasn't hurting anyone just laying out in the open. Yang could probably find everything easier this way anyway.

Blake didn't mind watching where she stepped though as the majority of Ruby and Yang's belongings had their distinctive scents, and although the worst of the body odor and wretched stench of dog was gone she'd still make the occasional excuse and spray one of the half-empty bottles of Weiss' favorite perfume that had wound up in Ruby's bags, which she remembered _hadn't_ been half-empty at Beacon. Blake wouldn't admit to any of these personal indulgences to her partner, even if she did already tease her about them, and kept to herself the months she had slept in a small cave using one of her tank tops as a pillow and something to dry her eyes with.

She had made a few _necessary_ changes in decoration however. About a week after her arrival it had been with _great_ reluctance that she took down some of the posters of shirtless guys, particularly the one hanging above their bed. He had been a pleasant sight to be sure, especially for her night vision, but she had found the long sword _strategically_ held out in front of his otherwise bare, glistening muscular body _far_ too distracting and more than a little embarrassing when certain feverish thoughts and desires inevitably manifested in her aura for Yang to sense. That never seemed to end well...

The eye catching posters had given Blake _one_ wholesome train of thought however. She knew from experience that Yang wasn't as _excited_ by photos and videos as she pretended and often embellished to be, and while she would occasionally pick up one of her partner's romance novels flipping immediately to the steamier chapters, she'd usually put it back down just as quickly due to disinterest. Yang had a very honest and objective appreciation for beauty, with a _particular_ interest in the male physique, but it was real life interactions that she sought, and the closer their proximity the better. She had gone to concerts of all of the musicians depicted in the posters and had even talked her way backstage to a couple. She had met at _least_ one member from each band and even partied and danced with a few of them, and the same was also true for the athletes and celebrities depicted in her posters due to the southern shores of Patch being a world renown spring break destination and the shady side of the City of Vale never lacking in decadent fun.

To Yang they weren't just celebrates or heartthrobs, they were all actual people she had talked to and rubbed shoulders with, or in some cases _other_ extremities. _'Only on the dance floor,'_ she'd always say with a playful wink.

After noticing her partner's sometimes lonesome, despondent looks when staring up at the poster above, Blake hadn't been able to help herself and asked if Yang had met him as well. She had in fact, a couple years prior at a huntsmen convention her father had been invited to speak at. The young man had been a Sophomore at Haven selling posters and photos of himself and unsurprisingly had gathered quite the crowd of teenage girls. Like many other lower income students he had applied for an controversial and arguably immoral student aid program, which besides helping pay tuition and giving students a bit of pocket money had the added benefit of luring future young huntsmen and huntresses in-training to enroll in the school and defend a kingdom that _desperately_ needed all the help it could get.

Yang of course had made fast friends with him as she did with practically everyone she came in contact with, and after getting him to personalize the poster and sign her top they had promised to stay in touch and meet up again, specifically after her seventeenth birthday. She hadn't said it and her dull aura certainly hadn't given anything away, but from her pink face and sheepish smile when telling the story that had an abruptly ending, Blake knew he must've been special to her if Yang wasn't even willing to do the decent thing and share _everything_ that had happened _after_ going out for drinks together.

She had kept the poster up more as a memento than any _unwholesome_ reasons that Blake might've imagined, though Yang certainly did appreciate his anatomy, but it had definitely amused her to put it on the ceiling where her innocent and much shorter sister couldn't reach. Back at Beacon Weiss had put her foot down on them putting any pictures or posters she deemed indecent on the walls, which Yang made a game out of seeing how far she could cross the line, but upon returning home Ruby had put all the posters back up hoping to cheer her sister up. Evidently she had even gone so far as to pile up suitcases or possibly dirty clothes on the bed to properly reach the ceiling.

It might've worked in the beginning, but Blake thought the plan had badly backfired at some point, but at the same time wasn't too sure she hadn't worsened things by removing the poster. Nothing she did seemed right anymore, and any time she contemplated putting the poster back up it was as though her legs were suddenly made of lead and she'd sit on the bed sometimes for hours unable to make a decision.

In the months since the invasion of the City of Vale and the fall of Beacon, Yang and Ruby's father had been named a huntsman coordinator and knew the whereabouts of every registered huntsman and student in-training currently in Vale and most other parts of Remnant, and the last time anyone had seen or heard from Yang's friend he had been fighting on the front lines defending the city from ceaseless hordes of Grimm. His family had already been awarded his huntsmen Medals of Valor and Sacrifice, and his name added to Haven's hall of fallen heroes. And there had been many others...

Yang had acquaintances from all over the world having spent her entire life around huntsmen and never meeting a stranger. She had graduated top of her class from a renown combat school and spent five months at Beacon making friendships that were supposed to have lasted throughout her career, and so many of their lives had been cut short in such a short amount of time that she had stopped asking her father for good news. A few of her old classmates from Signal and civilian friends from the coast had visited since Blake's arrival, generally acknowledging her presence with contemptuous glares, but never stayed for very long due to sensing Yang not wanting them there and her uncharacteristic sullenness visibly breaking their hearts...

The clumsy-sounding stomps and gasps for air on the other side of the door came to an abrupt halt, and Blake's heart nearly leaped out of her chest after skipping a beat. Her ears stood at attention and she got to her knees ready to shadow jump across the room. Several curses ran through her mind all directed toward herself for being so thoughtless, but once several of the same curses were muttered on the other side she sat back down feeling weak.

Yang was just trying to regain her composure before coming out to face her partner, and after several deep breaths Blake began doing the same. She lowered Ruby's cloak so that would no longer look to Yang as though she'd been inhaling her sister's scent, and had just about settled back down when the doorknob turned and her heart leaped out again.

The door creaked, nudged open by Yang's damp forehead as she came hobbling out with a wooden crutch underneath her left arm while the other hung in a black protective sling obscured from view like a turtle hiding in its shell. Her dull yellow hair had been pulled back in a ponytail, and her pale face had a couple of unprecedented pimples and blemishes, as well as a deep bruise just above her left brow. She wore a plain black top that Blake thought might've been the only one she owned that didn't give a sneak-peek at what was underneath, and instead of her usual boy shorts she wore baggy athletic shorts that didn't quite cover her badly bruised left leg and swollen knee.

Every couple of steps Yang would have to stop to catch her breath, giving Blake ample time to study her out of the corner of her eye while pretending to be interested in the floral pattern of her yukata. Her partner had lost considerable weight, the majority of it muscle, and her once form-fitting top was loose and unflattering just like her shorts, which had surprised Blake that she even owned. Yang had never been broad shouldered or overly muscular, finding that _perfect_ combination of physically fit and feminine that made all the other huntresses in-training envious, but now she looked almost as wiry as herself.

When Yang was close enough she simply fell face forward onto the bed, landing with a grunt followed by a small whimper while the crutch clattered on the floor below. Several minutes later of heavy breathing and uncomfortable silence she rolled over onto her back then slowly raised into a sitting position made awkward by her useless arm and stiff leg. Her lilac eyes had been closed throughout the long, painful process, but when they reopened they had a muted, faraway look to them.

Blake quickly covered her legs and scooted closer, pinching her toes with her own. It was something of a game the sisters did to each other often while giggling, but Yang didn't return the gesture or even acknowledge her presence. The dark haired girl briefly glanced up but was forced to look away just as quickly. Sometimes it was too hard not to cry when she looked at Yang...

Blinking rapidly Blake flared her aura trying to think of something, _anything_ happy to share, and finally got Yang's attention.

"Don't," she wheezed. "You're still not a hundred percent and you overdid it last night. Besides, it helps strengthen my lungs."

Her usual wry humor was absent and she didn't even try to make her argument sound convincing, but Blake was happy to hear her voice nonetheless. Yang didn't talk much if at all on her _bad_ days, and lately Blake had begun considering her _so-so_ days of melancholy as being her _good_ days.

Blake ignored her protests and wrapped an arm around her, and a moment later her shadow traveled across the bed and sat in Yang's lap and embraced her. She couldn't take away Yang's pain, or try to heal her physically without causing even more, but she could try at least to distract her from it momentarily, and at the very least it seemed to help Yang just being able to share the months sorrows without having to say them aloud.

Cloaked in darkness their thoughts slowly melded together until it was impossible to differentiate whose thoughts belonged to who. It was always a pleasant sensation, letting someone get lost in the innermost intimacy of your soul, but because their thoughts were so entwined Blake couldn't be sure who first thought back to the accident. She blamed herself of course, and began reliving through someone else's eyes standing atop the stairs and then suddenly flying through the air...

Blake lost the ability to breathe as the entire world below began spinning. She felt weightless, at peace even. All the agony and shame she had endured in front of her family and friends the past few months were gone, as well as the bitter loneliness from being abandoned and rejected by the other half of her soul. She didn't feel her leg twist or her knee catch on several of the steps on the way down, or even her head bouncing off the wooden floor when she came to an violent stop. Just before she was lost completely however, a searing hot, white pain in her right bicep filled her vision making it impossible to even think. Blake's throat felt raw, and she could still hear the terrible sound replaying in her mind.

She and Yang's father had just been in the other room getting lunch ready when they heard the awful rumbling coming down the stairs. They had found her lying at the bottom of the stairs, blood pooling around her head, screaming in agony and holding where her arm had once been cleaved in two.

Blake barely recollected the trip to the emergency room and still wasn't sure who or where Mr. Xiao Long had procured the car from. All she recalled was cradling Yang in her arms whose only reprieve from screaming was to sob...

Miraculously nothing had been broken. She had landed badly on her leg but had only bruised the bone, and it was a unanimous feeling that Yang having suffered just a minor concussion was equally miraculous. Her _heart_ on the other hand had been the end of the good news. It had weakened since her last doctor's visit, and they'd been forced to operate on her arm once again to repair the artificial veins and arteries carrying blood to the lifeless arm, as well as the metal rod and plates that held the severed bone together but had been shoved a few inches _toward_ her shoulder as result of the fall. A _fix_ the doctors had pointed out was only ' _temporary',_ and probably wouldn't be necessary the next time she visited...

If Blake hadn't abandoned her partner and best friend when she had, she might've known that Adam's blade had done more than just punctured her left lung. The red dust infused blade had also burned the surrounding sensitive organs. What dust hadn't dissipated in her body by the time she arrived at the hospital had been removed by the surgeons, mostly, but not before the damage had already been done and subsequent surgeries required. Now all they could do was increase the dosage of her heart medication, give her more painkillers, and hope for the best...

Blake pulled away suddenly gasping for air while Yang equally as out of breath hung her head and covered her arm beneath her sister's cloak. She wept never raising her head, and Blake turned her's unable to keep the tears at bay but at least trying to keep them quiet. Finally when she had them at least somewhat under control she hugged her partner again who held her hand trembling. Some days that's all Yang did...

The thought of her best friend having accidents scared Blake more than she would've ever thought possible. Since the day they met she had always been clumsy, but had seen her shrug off being punched a Paladin and made into a human chew toy by Grimm, and even survive being stabbed in the chest after having her arm nearly severed, but it was a short flight of stairs in her own home that had scared Blake most of all. It hadn't been a malicious monster that had tried to kill her, but a simple accident where she was supposed to be safe brought on from a weakened heart and damaged lungs...

A lot of things in Blake's life hadn't been fair and she'd long since given up on such a fantasy, but this had seemed the most cruel. And with the exception of herself, everyone else she had to blame was already dead.

 _*knock, knock*_

The rap on the door was subtle in case either of the room's occupants should still be sleeping, but despite the man's great attempts of being stealthy Blake had heard the heavy footsteps coming up the stairs as well as breakfast sizzling in the kitchen accompanied by its intoxicating aroma. She waited a moment giving Yang the opportunity to answer, but either she hadn't been listening or would've rather pretended to still be asleep.

"C-come in," Blake called, sinking back into the blanket suddenly shy. Her aura hadn't completely separated from Yang's, and as someone who had spent most of her life suppressing her emotions it always made her feel self-conscious wearing them and _someone else's_ for everyone else to see, but especially when that person was her partner's father. Every time she couldn't help feeling as though she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't.

The door gradually creaked opened and a tall man with tanned skin and short blond hair poked his head in. "Morning, girls," he said cheerfully, grinning like something was funny while a hungry corgi circled his legs. He looked over his daughter for several moments before giving the girl beside her a playful wink that caused her to giggle and grin.

"Good morning, Mr. Xiao Long," Blake gushed, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

The man's voice with its Mistralian accent was so soft and warm just like the radiance around him that Blake often found she could doze just by being in the same room as him. The sunrise glow around him was easy on the eyes even in the morning, and while Blake would never admit it aloud she couldn't help finding him handsome, and embarrassingly sometimes had to remind herself that he was Ruby and Yang's dad.

Taiyang was pushing forty but had a youthful face and the energy to match, and had a lighthearted and fun-loving personality that just like both his daughters' was infectious. Physically he appeared to be in his early thirties or perhaps even late twenties at certain times, which he and Yang proudly attributed to their Xiao Long genes but probably had more to do with aura. He might've been considered _'uncool'_ and _'unhip'_ to the two girls he was overly protective of, but for Blake it was easy to see why so many of Signal's female students, and women in general, seemed to fall for him. Saying it aloud was something that made Ruby and Yang want to gag, but Blake thought perhaps some of their friends who had come to visit might've _also_ come to see him.

Yang had been named after her father, citing vanity as also being hereditary, and Blake could've spent days examining just how much alike they were. From their off kilter senses of humor, their cadences, even the way they dressed. Like his eldest daughter Taiyang only walked around in sleeveless shirts and shorts, but his most striking features were his big, almost droopy, lilac colored eyes. The perpetually concerned-looking eyes always seemed to move around leisurely at their own pace, giving Blake the impression that he was seeing something that wasn't quite there.

He didn't immediately respond to the greeting, just kept watching his daughter who hadn't yet acknowledged him. "Please, _miss Belladonna_ ," he finally said, chiding her like a professor before smiling, "call me Taiyang, or preferably just Tai."

Blake nodded earnestly as his sad eyes drifted back to the despondent girl beside her and stayed there while Zwei pawed at his socks and sandals. Even though she'd been keeping a sharp eye on the faunus-eating beast at the time of the accident, Blake still wasn't entirely convinced he hadn't had _something_ to do with her partner's fall down the stairs...

"How you feeling, sweetie?" Tai asked.

Yang glanced up and shrugged, then shook her head as though confused by the question. He slowly nodded in an understanding manner before opening the door revealing two stands with trays piled up with breakfast sitting atop. Without any effort he lifted two trays into his muscular arms and just as effortlessly navigated his way through the messy room while a corgi attempting to trip him, and gently set them atop their laps.

Blake unfolded the legs of her tray then the right side of Yang's before gazing at the feast before her practically drooling. Piles of crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and slightly overcooked pancakes were loaded onto her plate along with a cinnamon roll and large glasses of milk and orange juice to wash it all down with.

"Thank you, Mr. Xiao Long," she said with her mouth full.

He nodded but quickly began playing with the gold chain around his neck as Yang picked at her food. A nervous habit Blake had long since taken notice of. Around the chain hung a wedding band with two black bird wings inside a burning heart engraved on the side while a matching ring was worn around his left hand's ring finger. The same emblem had been tattooed on his right forearm, the only difference being a white desert rose entwined with the wings and its thorn-less stem giving the appearance of the heart being broken.

Tai smiled suddenly and practically ran around to the other side of the bed. Cautiously he held out his hand barely grazing Yang's injured knee hidden underneath the blanket, and almost immediately the glow around him dimmed as it transferred to his daughter who had her breath taken away. She closed her eyes as a warm sensation spread throughout her, and Blake sighed as she felt residuals traveling through herself as well.

"STOP!" Yang choked. Her father stood up looking remorseful as her chest heaved and she gasped for air that wasn't making it to her lungs. Blake glanced up feeling sorry for the both of them and not for the first time wishing there was something she could do. Tai was almost a perfect aura match for his daughter, meaning he could transfer great amounts of aura for more medicinal purposes than just bonding exercises or comforting gestures, but since her encounter with Adam her aura hadn't been the same...

A person's aura changed with time, growing weaker or stronger depending on the person and what dwelt inside them. To Blake, her partner's will had been indomitable and her aura the brightest she'd ever seen, but now she was slowly coming to terms that she might have to accept this being the new norm for Yang. Her aura had been stunted, likely forever, and it was all her fault...

As Blake stared out the corner of her eye, pretending to rub the sleep out, Taiyang continued watching his daughter as her abnormal breathing slowed, and once it steadied he bent down and kissed her atop the head.

"I love you, sweetie," he whispered reassuringly .

Yang glanced up with twinkling eyes and gave him a peck on the lips.

"I love you too, daddy..." her voice cracked, a bit of color returning to her face. Blake felt butterflies in her chest as well as a small pang of jealousy as she even smiled at him.

The pair beamed at one another, and Blake couldn't help looking at them in reverence. Her entire life she had never been very affectionate and couldn't recall seeing too many _nonsexual_ displays of affection before coming to Beacon and meeting the sisters. Even after all this time it was still a little foreign to her, hugs and kisses, and had practically suffocated the first time she cuddled with a teammate. More and more however she began enjoying the physical contact, and it appeared Tai had taken notice of the way she was staring as he walked around the bed once again and after running a hand over her ears planted a kiss in between, causing them to remain folded back as her face brightened the room. She got the distinct impression that Yang's dad had intimate experience with faunus girls and their sensitive ears...

Plus his cologne, aftershave, aura, and scent in general smelled _amazing_ , and once again she had to remind herself he was Ruby and Yang's dad...

Tai chuckled once more before walking away calling the greedy corgi to follow before he could jump onto the blanket that Blake had been clutching as though staking her claim. "Come on, Zwei. There's a pile of burnt bacon in your bowl."

The beast took off down the stairs leaving Tai standing in the doorway looking uncertain. "I'll start dinner whenever you girls get hungry." The door began to close but he stuck his head in through the crack grinning at the blushing faunus. "Oh, and I hope you like grilled salmon as much as you like tuna fish, _miss Belladonna_."

Blake's ears were slow to perk back up and she had to catch herself from humming, a peculiar noise that her teammates accused her of sounding like purring. She placed her cinnamon roll onto Yang's tray and pinched her toes again. "I _love_ your dad," she practically squealed.

Yang didn't respond and merely continued picking at her food, ignoring the cinnamon roll.

"S-so what do you wanna watch today?" Blake asked, interrupting the silence. Normally she appreciated quietness and wouldn't have minded going an entire day not saying a word, but the unnatural emptiness that hung in the air if she didn't often made it too difficult to concentrate. "We never did finish the second season of _'True BLUD'_ , and I wouldn't mind restarting it."

"Sure..." Yang murmured.

Blake opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a scroll ringing. Yang ignored the ringtone that she'd chosen solely chosen for irritating her friends, forcing Blake reach over her and retrieve it from atop the nightstand. Seeing how even the short range communications were still spotty at best, Blake figured it must've been one of Yang's friends wondering if today would be a good day to come over. She was already thinking of excuses to give when she unfolded the holographic device and forgot how to breathe. Yang glancing up at it did the same, and her eyes lit up.

 _'Schnee Dust Company World Headquarters.'_

"Weiss..."

* * *

 **(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Writing this chapter was a lot of fun and quickly became one of my favorites, but I'd be lying if it also wasn't one of the more stressful. Both Yang and Blake are fighting against very real emotional and/or physical struggles that many people in real life struggle(d) with every day, and it has always been my goal to treat personal struggles with the respect and gravity they deserve. I hope I've succeeded in that here, and while this story will have its "depressing" moments I hope you'll be encouraged knowing Yang and Blake have each other and that there are always better days ahead. I hope you enjoy what's to come.** **Thank you everyone for your incredible support and patience. I'm sorry I don't always respond to reviews, that's just a policy I have, but please know that I _deeply_ appreciate every single one of you. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and all you wonderful readers. God bless)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My Guardian Snow Angel

* * *

"Thank you for contacting SDC technical support," said a sharp, high-pitched voice coming from the blank screen held in Yang's unsteady hand. "We sincerely apologize that you've been experiencing technical difficulties with your state of the art holographic tablet, but if you'll be so good as to be patient and _not_ interrupt your brilliant technical support adviser while she fixes what is most likely a user error, we can get through this ordeal as quickly and _painlessly_ as possible."

What had begun as the young woman calmly reciting what sounded like a well-rehearsed company script had devolved into a tone resembling disinterest and even apathy, but for the two girls leaning forward on the bed they couldn't hear anything but the unmistakable excitement in the familiar voice that once held impromptu recitals during scalding hot showers in their old dorm room.

Static crackled through the scroll's speakers and a distorted image of what appeared to be an office cubicle and an unmistakable a white ponytail poking up from the bottom of the screen. After a few moments of what sounded like someone cursing under their breath and furiously pressing buttons the image cleared up and the screen panned down revealing a pale face wearing several layers of makeup, particularly around her blue eyes which twinkled up at the girl holding the scroll.

"I can see this is going to be _anything_ but quick and painless," she sniffled, a smile tugging at her lips. The young woman who was in fact a teenage girl wiped something away from her left eye, avoiding the pencil thin scar that began above her brow and traveled down her cheek nearly level with her mouth.

"It's good to see you too, _Ice Queen_ ," Yang choked, tears rolling down her face. "What took you so long?"

Weiss' normally stoic features all at once fell apart and it was as though a dam was overflowing. Tears turned into rivers on both their faces and Yang propped up the scroll on her breakfast tray no longer able to hold it even remotely steady. She covered her mouth as her body began to shake uncontrollably and her breathing sounded more like heavy wheezing.

"Please don't cry," Weiss sobbed, retrieving several tissues before blowing her nose like a trumpet. "It took me hours to do my makeup this morning, and now everyone's going to wonder why my mascara's running."

Yang chuckled in between choking sounds and for the next several minutes the two just stared at each other alternating between laughing and crying as if unable to make up their minds.

"Haven't seen you since the divorce, princess," Yang said at last, finally regaining some semblance of control over herself.

Weiss let out a high-pitched cackle and grinned ear to ear. "I _knew_ you'd call it that!" she said, looking up with what could only be described as complete and total admiration. "I _knew_ you would..."

For what felt like an eternity they just stared as if committing the other to memory, and with unsteady hands they both reach out to hold the other's hand causing their holograms to flicker, and both let out a chuckle and disappointed sighs as though they'd forgotten they were thousands of miles apart.

"So um, er, how have things been?" Weiss asked awkwardly. "How's Tai- I-mean-your-father!?" She smiled innocently trying to hide what might've been _not-so-innocent_ thoughts.

Yang snorted. "Oh I see how it is. You weren't calling _me_ , you were hoping to talk to him and maybe see him shirtless again."

Weiss' face turned a bright shade of pink. "N-no I wasn't."

"Bull. Rubes told me she had to call dibs on him and our comfort corgi so you didn't take them back home with you."

"Zwei wouldn't be there with you by chance would he?" Weiss asked, attempting to peer around the camera hogging blonde. " _Prince Puppy-Tart_ , where are you? It's your _Ice_ -y Weiss-y woo-woo."

Sitting just to the right of Yang just out of camera view, Blake was busily wiping her eyes while at the same time fighting the butterflies swarming in her stomach. She had been dreaming of this moment for weeks, months even, the moment she was finally reunited with another member of her former team, but just as often those same dreams turned into nightmares.

Like her partner Blake just stared committing _everything_ about Weiss' appearance to memory, and comparing it to her last memory her. She couldn't help noticing how much thinner and more angular Weiss face was, as well as the subtle gaunt appearance that Blake recognized all too well when looking in the mirror. She had also seen the same look on the heiress' face on the first day of school, and remembered thinking how a stiff breeze could've blown her over.

Wanting a better view she scooted over, budding shoulder to shoulder with Yang. Instantaneously Weiss' bright eyes lit up and her mouth fell open which had an infectious effect on the faunus, but almost immediately her eyes narrowed and became cold. Her mouth twitched and Blake read foul words on her lips, no doubt having been there since the day she quietly excused herself from her partner's hospital room only to never return.

A knife was thrust into Blake's chest and she could feel Weiss' eyes twisting and turning the sharp blade. She had the same look on her face now as she did during the battle of Beacon, fighting and killing faunus extremists without hesitation or seemingly an ounce of remorse, and having the same level of contempt for them as the Grimm whose faces they'd been foolish enough to wear.

With a final twist she ripped her eyes away but left the knife still buried deep inside the tortured faunus who began to feel as though she might vomit, and turned her attention back to the tearful blonde who didn't seem to have noticed the exchange.

Weiss' smile returned, albeit more forced and painful looking. "H-how are you?" she asked quietly, sounding almost ashamed of her question as she eyed the bruise on Yang's head.

Yang frowned and regarded the arm covered by its protective sling. "Hurting," she answered surprisingly honestly, something she would've _never_ done back when she was still a huntress in-training. "Bedridden with an arm that doesn't work and burnt lungs that sometimes forget how to do their job, but judging by your costume better than you."

The girl in the SDC uniform smiled politely, perhaps a bit disturbed by Yang's dark humor which she had never particularly appreciated, but also because Yang wasn't exactly masking just how unfunny she found her situation. Yang's other hand began playing with her hair, and for the first time Weiss truly noted how her once golden mane was now dull in color and tied in an easy to manage ponytail, which more than anything might've disturbed her the most.

While the pair just stared at each other unsure what to say, Blake was trying _desperately_ to look anywhere else for fear that her eyes or stomach might start overflowing and never stop. Instead she focused on Weiss' little office and how the plain white walls seemed to tower over her. In the before times she might've laughed at the fact Weiss was probably sitting on one of her ancient tomes on glyphs to properly reach the desk scroll's camera, which was still pointing down at her at a sharp angle, or how the neat freak's trashcan was likely just as clean and orderly as her desk.

Spying something just above her right shoulder however Blake felt another knot in her stomach threaten to come up her throat. Three plushies all in the likeness of her friends hung from key chains almost as if they were giving each other hugs. Their heads all being several times larger than their bodies made them humorous to look at, but it was their greatly exaggerated features that always amused Blake the most. Yang's lopsided grin that took up nearly her entire face, the chocolate smeared on Ruby's lips and her mouth wide open as if in the middle of talking, and Weiss hanging in between them pouting and not looking at all pleased to be there but hiding a small smile in the corner of her mouth.

One doll however was conspicuously missing...

A set of four had been made for them each, the idea coming from Ruby and Yang who had always wanted action figures of themselves. Weiss had deemed this desire _'childish nonsense'_ but secretly took this idea several steps further by having her company's toy division produce _expensive_ , cartoony caricatures of themselves, and surprised Yang with a set for her birthday, whose only complaint during her screams of joy had been how her plushy's _anatomy_ hadn't been entirely _accurate_. Only later after Weiss had gotten her fill of watching Ruby and Blake stare in envy and jealousy of such a thoughtful, incredible gift did she surprised them with their own sets.

They might've been Yang's favorite presents that day, but certainly they'd seen the most amount of use. She'd often gather all the Yang plushies together which she dubbed _'The Chibi-Chibi-Yang-Gang'_ , and would either make them fight to the death in order to decide which one was the superior _Yang_ , or more often than not amuse herself and disturb everyone else by making the Yang plushies have sex with each other, which she dubbed a _'Chibi-Chibi-Yang-Bang'._

Weiss had kept her set hanging above her bed just like Blake's, _never_ getting played with, at least not when anyone was looking. Ruby on the other hand like her sister enjoyed epic death battle royals, but strangely or perhaps not so strangely, sometimes the Ruby and Weiss dolls would act out scenes where her partner's plushy would be perpetually nice to her own and go so far as to suggest they play together. And apparently the plushies had meant so much to Ruby that she hooked them to her ammo belt before she started out on her journey to Mistral, but Blake couldn't be sure she had taken her doll...

Her own set was still packed away somewhere, but Yang's were sitting beside the television arm in arm with each other. The Blake doll however was once again conspicuously missing...

She blinked something from her eye thinking of better days back in their dorm room when chaos was never more than a moment's notice away, and spine crushing hugs never too far from that. She knew it should've been impossible, but despite Weiss being thousands of miles away and despite being shoulder to shoulder with Yang and hardly feeling a flicker of her aura, Blake felt their souls overlapping just as they once had back when they could finish each other's thoughts and have entire conversations without saying a word. She hadn't realized how much she had missed that sensation, but found herself hiding her face as tears began to flow due to hearing someone's voice screaming in her head.

 _'You left! You abandoned us! How dare you sit there with her!'_

"Alright," Weiss sniffed, drying her eyes and returning to a more dignified posture. "I don't have much time left and our conversation is being recorded by the SDC, _and_ as we speak both our governments are trying to trace this call, so I'd suggest that we-"

"-that we _not_ mention how the SDC's heiress went to Vale's naughtiest night club with a faunus in celebration of my eighteenth birthday? Or what may or may not have happened in the VIP room?" A cocky grin spread across Yang's face proud of her role in corruption of the youngest Schnee daughter, but Weiss merely looked bored and a tad impatient.

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, but yes, we shouldn't discuss what happened that night." Her lip twitched and she leaned closer to the camera. "And if Father is listening I'd just like him to know that Mother would've been proud and that I had gentlemen lining up to buy me drinks and even a few lovely young _ladies_ , one of whom had the most exquisite tiger stripes. It's just a shame that I can't remember all the events of that night, or what happened in the VIP room..."

Yang snorted. "Don't worry, I've got plenty pictures and I may have shot a few home movies."

"I know. I'm copying them onto my scroll as we speak." Weiss flashed another brilliant smile as the two fell into a familiar rhythm of teasing and trying to one up the other, but just as quickly her demeanor became serious again. Yang however seemed in no such hurry after so much time apart.

"So how'd you end up in tech support anyhow? Last time I checked you couldn't even change your scroll's wallpaper or screensaver on your own. You'd just burn it and buy a new one whenever _somebody_ would change them to the most hardcore gay sex scenes they could find. Personally I think it was probably Rubes..."

Weiss' scarred eye twitched, which had regained prominence thanks to her mascara having run. " _Those_ was the most abhorrent and deprived sights I have ever witnessed, and I had the displeasure of sharing a room with you for five months so I know a thing or two about abhorrent and depri-."

"Hey! I don't remember you gouging your eyes out, and don't knock it till you've tried it, _princess_. And watch what you say about my favorite movie! Which reminds me-" She turned to Blake wearing a crooked smile and gave her a playful nudge. "I know what we're watching tonight after my dad falls asleep..."

The faunus couldn't help but grin infectiously at her, ecstatic to see Yang return to her once playful, albeit _bawdy_ , self. She shivered however as she felt the room's temperature suddenly plummet, and looking back at the hologram she saw Weiss glaring back at her.

"Enough wasting time," she huffed, still staring at Blake as though the constant distractions were her fault. "As humorous as it would be for the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company to be written up I'd rather not have to explain this conversation to General Ironwood, or Father for that matter. I'm calling because I have yet to receive a single letter from you, and after deciding that even _you_ wouldn't be so rude as to not respond back to my very eloquent letters, I discovered that everything I'd written had been confiscated and destroyed by Atlas' government. And that _all_ communication channels between kingdoms are currently being monitored, _particularly_ the members of the SDC and Schnee family. For whatever reason people seem to think my family had something to do with Atlas' apparent invasion of the Kingdom of Vale. It _may_ have something to do with the SDC being the largest dust supplier in the world and being the primary supplier of Atlas' military weapons and technology, or something to due with the history books. Who can tell."

Fresh tears trickled down Yang's face. "You've been writing?" she sniffed, barely able to get the words out.

Weiss once again lost her dignified demeanor as she blinked away tears. "Of course I have," she snapped, hurt echoing in her voice. "After Father dragged me home I spent _weeks_ in my bedroom crying and writing you and Ruby letters, telling you over and over how much I missed you and how sorry I was for leaving, and how much I _hated_ myself for not staying with my team..."

Her eyes drifted back to Blake but only for a moment. "Once I discovered I wasn't going to be receiving any letters and I recovered enough from my... _ailment_ , I went to Father and told him that I was ready to put away the silly notion of being a huntress, that I was finally ready to take my place in the company. I even gave up Myrtenaster to prove it to him..."

"I-I'm sorry," Yang murmured, not wanting to imagine how painful it must've been for Weiss to part with not only her faithful weapon, but her beloved grandfather's final gift before passing.

Weiss closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. "Father put me to work the very next day, and I'm spending at least a week in every major SDC department to learn the ins and outs of the company I'll someday be running. It's just as well but I suspect he's also punishing me for disobeying him when I applied to Beacon instead of Polaris, and for not coming home _immediately_ after...after the semester ended expectantly. A month ago I was sweeping floors and cleaning toilets, two weeks ago I was delivering mail, but now I'm _exactly_ where I want to be. In tech support telling numskulls full of mush how to fix idiot proof devices while trying to hide the fact that I'm secretly looking for the button that will make their heads to explode."

Yang howled in delight as that sounded like the old Ice Queen she loved and loathed. "Why'd you want in tech support? No offense but you and computers don't really go together, like at all."

Weiss' sparkly eyes softened as though her answer should be evident. "Because this was the only way I could think to talk to you face to face, dummy. And just so you know, I'm currently on my lunch break _breaking_ half a dozen laws to speak to you, a-and _see_ you again." She appeared mildly pleased by the pun and held up a corgi-shaped lunchbox Blake remembered having once belonged to Ruby before the _'divorce'_ , and retrieved a plastic bag of chocolate chip cookies that she immediately began shoveling into her mouth with a worried expression.

"But both Vale's CCT Tower and Beacon's Emerald Tower are down, and-"

"We're speaking to each other through an old, obscure SDC tech line nobody uses anymore," Weiss said in between bites. "It's practically prehistoric, and I've back-channeled through Signal Academy's short range CCT system that your local huntsmen sometimes use, which until recently was nearly obsolete. Congratulations by the way. You've just received a free _upgrade_ to WNDS VSTA 1.8, which on behalf of the entire Schnee Dust Company I sincerely apologize for. We recommend uninstalling it as soon as possible and installing anything from APPL instead, and as your tech adviser I also _highly_ suggest deleting your _disgusting_ browser history..."

"Weiss, h-how did you learn to do all this?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that I'm clever?" Yang nodded profusely at the understatement of the century, but Weiss merely smiled and shook her head. "Clever, yes. Remotely know what I'm even talking about when just as empty-headed Atlesians call for help, no. I told someone smart-looking here in tech support that I'd see to it that they received a substantial raise and promotion if he got me into contact with someone on the Isle of Patch, and threatened to fire him and run his family into financial ruin if he didn't or told anyone what he'd done. Thankfully he was as smart as he looked."

"Weiss-" Yang laughed, shaking her head, "you're incredible."

"I know."

"-but I-I don't know how to tell you this but Ruby isn't here. She-"

"-snuck aboard an SDC supply transport bound for the City of Mistral with Jaune, Nora, and Ren in tow. Their plan is to meet up with Pyrrha at Sanctum Academy, who unbeknownst to them _still_ hasn't woken from her coma, and presumably save Mistral from a now three-quarters Fall Maiden who foolishly and _mistakenly_ believes herself to be the rightful queen of Vale. Does that sound about right?"

"How did you-"

"I'm _very_ clever that's how."

"But how'd you know-" Yang's eyes widened in understanding along with Blake's. "Wait, you've talked to her, haven't you? How is she!? Is she wearing clean underwear!? Where is she? Has she made it to Sanctum yet!?"

Weiss quickly shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, but the only reason I can even talk to you right now is because you're so close to Signal's tower. Mistral and Vacuo's CCT global systems have basically gone dark and they've all but embargoed my kingdom and company. I just happen know how Ruby's scatterbrained mind works is all. She's my partner, a-and sometimes I swear I can still hear what she's thinking..."

Yang nodded, and squeezed Blake's hand which she hadn't realized she'd been holding onto who quickly squeezed back reassuringly but still didn't meet her gaze. They had both spent months trying to sever that connection with each other, only occasionally catching brief flashes of they thought the other _might've_ been thinking, but reestablishing that bond had been almost effortless as though they were puzzle pieces meant to fit together. But for Weiss her corresponding piece was still far, _far_ away.

"Okay you're smart I'll give you that," Yang admitted, "and you and my sister obviously have Stockholm syndrome for each other, but how'd you know all that for real?"

Weiss' eyes twinkled. "Did I mention that I also happen to have all the resources that money can buy? As well as eager young men _around the world_ either scared of me or wishing to someday become _Mr._ Weiss Schnee." When she didn't get a response Weiss rolled her eyes as though it should be obvious, but appeared more than happy to explain her brilliance nonetheless. " _Credit cards_. I still remember all of Ruby's banking information, and the SDC practically owns half the money in the world anyway. Before leaving the City of Vale your sister went on a shopping spree in the commercial district purchasing camping supplies, food, water, ammo, medical supplies, _four_ short range communicators, and some tacky new huntress gear. And on that day an SDC shipping frigate just so happened to be leaving for Mistral's capital. Coincidence? I think not."

"She emptied her savings," Yang remembered. "Most of it was from Summer's monthly legacy condolences, and I think she'd been looking for ships heading to Mistral since the day she woke up. She was just waiting for me to be ready to let her go..."

Weiss swallowed and tried forcing a smile. "At least she's not dumb enough to try and _walk_ to an entirely different continent separated by ocean."

Yang couldn't help but snort indignantly. "She might be an idiot sometimes but she's not stupid. And you make for a hell of a good stalker, you know that?"

"Yes, I'm well aware actually." Weiss said without a shred of shame. "And you do realize don't you that your sister snuck onto an SDC frigate with _hundreds_ of armed Atlesian Knights aboard, right? All programmed to shoot trespassers on sight?"

Yang shook her head as though it were trivial. "So Rubes and the gang should be in the City of Mistral by now, right?"

Weiss opened her mouth to speak but promptly closed it, her face turning several shades paler in the process. Both girls' hearts skipped a beat, and she and Blake's interlocked hand reflexively reached for her chest.

"Weiss?" Yang asked breathlessly. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"D-did you by chance hear about the SDC transport that sunk last month? Or about the Leviathan it encountered? You know, one of those Alpha sea dragon Grimm that can fly, breathe fire, and-"

"What. Happened. To. My. Ruby," Yang demanded, her old fire beginning to rekindle again.

"I figured with your CCT Tower being down news coming in would be slow," Weiss said airily, not realizing that death was _only_ a few thousand miles away. "Then again I suppose Vale has bigger worries than trade between Atlas and Mistral and one transport sinking. Well, first of all my family lost _millions_ because of that little incident and now Mistral's dust shortage is even worse, not that they'll ever admit it, and now there's also an angry Leviathan roaming our eastern trade route and-"

"Weiss!"

"Oh, right. Sorry. The best I can figure is that they were shipwrecked at about the halfway point to Mistral, somewhere in the northern territory of Anima. Either Ruby and JNPR were too impatient to wait for an investigative airship to arrive, which _Atlas_ had to send by the way, or they weren't able to stick around because of the out of control Grimm population, or-" She left the third option hanging in the air, the one nobody wanted to consider. Just thinking about it caused Yang's shaking to worsen.

"I didn't hear anything more for almost a month," Weiss said quietly, looking at the cookies as if she wasn't sure if she wanted to continue eating or vomit. "But I knew Ruby was alive because I'd feel it if she wasn't, and finally a couple weeks ago I found a lead."

Both Yang and Blake's head's shot up to see the heiress' radiant smile.

"Ever since the shipwreck _I've_ been a wreck checking Mistral's huntsmen job boards to keep tabs on the area, and there was one _specific_ job and its recipients that happened to catch my eye. It was a request to kill an Alpha, a Geist to be precise that'd been terrorizing the local villages and already killed a registered huntsman, and over forty armed villagers, _and_ was completed by four anonymous huntsmen going by the aliases _Crater Face_ , _Mr. and Mrs. Boop_ , and _Vomit Boy_."

"Oh my God!" Yang cheered, embracing Blake and bouncing up and down on the bed nearly knocking the breakfast trey over. "My baby sister killed a Geist all by herself!?"

"Well, Jaune, Nora, and Ren were _technically_ there too, so-"

"Oh my God! Nora and my baby sister killed a Geist all by themselves!?"

Blake chuckled as it sounded accurate enough, and Yang's face pressed up against hers was practically glowing with pride and the old warmth of better days. "Those are almost as good as some of our code names. Remember? _Rosie Palms_ , _Bee Stings_ , _Sweet Cheeks_ , and _Pussy...Cat Magnet_. Wait, what the hell does Ruby think she's doing getting anywhere near an Alpha!? Oh she is _SO_ grounded when she gets home!"

Weiss sat looking bemused but also more than a little pleased at the familiar sight of Yang threatening her little sister. "Moving on..." she said finally, her face a little pink as she subtly adjusted her jacket so that her chest puffed out more. "Where they went from there I'm not so sure, however what I _can_ tell you is that another job was accepted by huntsmen going by the same aliases, and the payment was two free rooms at an inn, showers, breakfast, and a horse. I'm not even kidding."

"Gee, I wonder what Ren and Nora did in their room, and in the shower," Yang teased with a sultry smile, giving Blake another playful nudge who returned the favor. Weiss on the other hand wasn't nearly as amused.

"Humph! I'd _assume_ Ruby and Nora would take one room and the boys the other, because otherwise I might have to kill Jaune. I thought _you_ of all people would agree but I suppose I should've known better.

Yang nodded gleefully. "After a month of traveling in Anima without any _alone_ time, there isn't a force on Remnant that could keep Nora from getting some private time in a room with a bed with Ren. Y'all remember how she'd read his cookbooks like they were my copies of Playhuntress, or Ruby and her weapon magazines?"

"You can't be serious!" Weiss seethed. "Jaune, a _boy_ , slept in the same room as your sister! Maybe even in the same bed!"

Again Yang nodded barely able to contain herself. "I know! The closest Rubes has ever come to showing interest in a boy was when she was playing in the sandbox with a cute little boy who had a plastic shovel that could turn into a toy truck. I thought they were gonna get married there and then, but turns out Rubes is like her big sis and after she was done playing with him she went home and took a shower."

"What about Pyrrha!"

"You never know she might be into that sort of thing. The more the merrier, right? If not then my baby sister gets to be in her first love triangle! And so long as Pyrrha doesn't wake up from her coma I think Rubes can take her."

Weiss leaned back in her chair massaging a migraine that hadn't surfaced in months. "With any luck Jaune _won't_ be a gentleman and let the ladies ride the horse, and he'll fall off and break his neck. Shame..."

"Didn't Jaune grow up on a farm? And you know, ride a horses?"

"To be honest I never really paid much attention to anything Jaune had to say, though I do seem to recall asking him if he'd ever been kicked in the head while shoeing a mule."

Yang snorted. " _Wow_ , jealous of him being with Ruby much?"

Weiss' jawline tightened and she raised her chin in a defiant manner, answering Yang's question. Her composure soon deflated however and she began shoveling handfuls of chocolate chip cookies back into her mouth, muttering dark things about Jaune that Blake could only catch every other word of. Weiss had never particularly cared for their sister's team leader, not that she cared for many other people for that matter, but his close friendship with her partner might have been the _one_ thing Weiss found more vexing than when he'd been vying for her affection. Ruby was her partner, her BFF, her literal other half, and _nothing_ was supposed to get in between them.

"Don't worry, Weiss," Yang said gently. "I don't think you have anything to worry about with Jaune. You and my sister are _soul-mates_ till one of you finally kills the other, but- and I hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure Rubes is saving herself for Crescent Rose. Sorry about that, but on the bright side my baby sis is in a love triangle after all."

Her humor seemed lost on the heiress, who at the mention of her partner seemed momentarily lost herself. Blake instinctively scooted closer to her own partner, but almost immediately received a glare and scooted away again. Weiss' cold eyes then turned back to Yang where they softened, and almost absently they followed her black shoulder strap all the way down to her protective sling. She swallowed and wiped her eyes once again obviously having been trying to avoid staring all this time but finally couldn't ignore the Goliath in the room, and Yang sensing what she was about to be asked forgot how to breathe.

"H-how are you _r-really_?" Weiss squeaked, visibly hating herself. "Your a-arm I mean..."

Yang remained silent unable to move, but just as the heiress began making apologies Yang began undoing the fasteners that kept her arm immobile and protected, and removed the strap from around her neck. Then with a much needed deep breath that likely didn't reach her lungs, she gradually removed the sling encompassing her arm which immediately went limp and dangled lifelessly out in front of her.

Weiss let out an audible gasp and covered her mouth, and Blake scooted closer to her partner wrapping her arms around her.

Yang's right arm had shrunken and lost all its muscle mass, making it appear withered and belonging to that of a corpse. Around her bicep was a _deep_ , ghostly white scar from where her arm had very nearly been cleaved in two, as well as several scars on the forearm from her numerous surgeries, but everywhere else was black with bruises due to the blood not circulating properly. Her hand was shriveled reminding Blake of decrepit old woman's, and her bony fingers looked like the skin had been pulled tight but barely clinging on .

"Doctors can reattach limbs if they're quick enough," Yang said matter-of-factly, running her hand over the dead limb. "But they were so busy worrying about my heart and lungs that I don't think they really cared if I got to keep it or not..."

Her soft words felt like hot pokers to both of them and they stared up at team RWBY's big sister and momma bear through blurry eyes. Of course both Blake and Weiss already knew the shape she'd been in even before she arrived at the emergency room, but hearing her talk about her arm Yang sounded like she was talking about someone else entirely.

They were silent as they stared blankly at the arm, but Yang interrupted the moment by gently nudging Blake's shoulder. "Now the team's got an ambidextrous and _two_ lefties. How's it feel to be the only right-y _left_ on the team?"

Blake shook her head too afraid to even speak. Her partner's voice hardly even sounded like herself.

"H-how have your checkups been?" Weiss asked, trying desperately to sound hopeful and searching for _anything_ positive she could find.

"Last week's was my last," Yang said, leaving out the actual reason she'd been at the hospital. "Doctors said that my aura finally thinks that my arm is healed, but if they start redoing all of my nerves, veins, arteries, and other crap my stupid aura might reject it. And they said even _if_ the surgery works I'll probably never have anything near full range motion of my arm again, let alone my hand..."

Blake hugged her tighter as Yang began cursing the doctors for their _'patch job'_ and everything else that had gone wrong since mid-December.

"They're gonna take my arm," she whimpered, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "They'll tell me they're gonna do the surgery before putting me to sleep but then I'm gonna wake up without my arm!"

"Ssshhh." Blake held her tightly and flared her aura. "They're not gonna do that, Yang. It'll be okay, a-and I'll be there with you. I promise..."

 _'You weren't there before...'_ Blake heard in the back of her mind, only making her squeeze tighter.

"Yang, if you'll give me copies of your medical papers I can have my doctors-"

"Signal's surgeons are the best in Vale." Yang shook her head. "All they work on are huntsmen and huntsmen in-training, a-and now that I think about it I don't think I ever thanked you for paying all of my medical bills. I-I don't know what we would've done without you..."

Weiss quickly waved her off. "It's nothing." She smiled weakly, tears threatening to pour down her face again, but as she swallowed a lump down her throat Weiss began looking nervous and afraid to speak. "Listen, I-I've been talking to SDC technicians in the cybernetics department, and I've already-

"No," Yang practically growled, causing Weiss to flinch. "I don't want a cybernetic! But I guess if they're gonna replace _everything_ anyway and my arm still isn't gonna work then maybe they should just cut it off and be done with it! I just don't care anymore..."

Her voice cracked and she buried her face into Blake's shoulder, who began cooing and tickling her back, telling her everything would be alright again while hiding her true thoughts deep in the recesses of her aura.

"It'll be okay," she whispered, glancing at the screen where the image mirrored her own. Tears were streaming down Weiss' cheeks, but just as she began to apologize a loud buzzing sound came from the other end of the video, and suddenly the heiress' face was lit up by a red flashing light.

"No!" Weiss shouted, her eyes widening she jumped out of her seat. "NO! NO! NO! NOT NOW!"

"What's wrong?" Yang sat forward. "W-Weiss!?"

The heiress cursed loud enough for most of SDC Headquarters to hear and began furiously pressing buttons. "I'm s-sorry. I-I can't stay any longer. Atlas, Vale, the SDC, or- Doesn't matter. _Someone_ found out there's unauthorized communication between the kingdoms and is trying to track it. Listen, it was really great to see and talk to you again, Yang." Ever so subtly she glanced over at Blake with a demanding, threatening look that the faunus understood all too well. Yang was her responsibility, and she better not screw up, _again_...

Weiss pressed her hand to the screen still smiling reassuringly at Yang who reached out to hold her hand. "Yang, _everything_ will be alright. I'll find a way to talk to you again soon, and I just want you to know that I love y-"

The image cut out before she could finish or their hands could touch but Yang continued to stare blankly. For several minutes she just gazed at the blue screen willing Weiss to return, or perhaps wondering if it had all been just another fever dream. Soon she began to cry and rested her head against Blake's shoulder, murmuring about her arm and how they were going to take it away, and how her heart just couldn't take anymore.

"It's okay," Blake lied, undoing Yang's ponytail and playing with her hair. "I'm here. Everything will be alright..."

* * *

 **(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I'm terribly sorry for the long wait between chapters, friends, and thank you for your _incredible_ patience. After posting Chapter 2 I began working on Chapter 17 of "The Patchwork Prodigy", and afterward took a _much_ needed break from RWBY and fanfiction. However I'm happy to say that my batteries have been fully recharged and I'm probably writing more now than ever. As for this chapter, it's always fun having Yang and Weiss interact together as their characters just bounce off each other so well, and I'm sorry if the ending seemed a bit abrupt but it was intentional. We haven't seen the last of Weiss, not by a long shot, and I hope you enjoy what's to come hopefully in the near future. ****As always all credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has made this story possible and blessed me with all of you. God bless)**


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